Warning to Delta Sigma Members: Hide Your Paraphernalia
Members of DST might want to go AWOL if they live in the Dallas area.
Local city police are hunting a suspected serial rapist who is targeting alumnae of Delta Sigma Theta, the nearly century-old African-American sorority.
Over the last 11 months, four Black women in their mid-50s to early 60s, who are all members of the sorority, were raped in their Dallas-area homes, apparently all by the same suspect.
The victims told investigators that the assailant seemed to have personal knowledge about them, and each of the attacks took place between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m.
The most recent assault occurred on Friday near Corinth, Texas; other rapes have reported in Plano and Coppell, Texas, just north of Dallas County.
In response to the attacks, the sorority issued a warning this week urging alumnae to remove any trace of their affiliation from cars, clothing and even key chains.
“While it is not yet confirmed that these victims were targeted because of their affiliation with the Sorority, we are erring on the side of caution and are advising our members in the Dallas area to take the necessary precautionary measures,” said National President Cynthia M. A. Butler-McIntyre.
“We encourage members to be alert, remain aware of their surroundings and to call the police if they see anything suspicious or feel threatened.”
The organization is also encouraging its members to “refrain from wearing clothing or accessories” that identify them as members and to remove all personal information, including day-to-day-whereabouts, from Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets.
Anyone with information regarding these incidences or the location of the suspect is advised to call the Plano Police Department Tip Line at 972-941-2148, the Corinth Police Department at 940-498-2017 or the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 877-373-8477.
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(Photo: Delta Sigma Theta)